Annunciator relay



Muth 27, 1928. 1,664,215

L. F. HUNT ANNUNGIATOR RELAY Filed April 21. -1923 5 Sheets-Sheet l @es@im INVENTOR lloyd iHv/1f BY s AoRNEY 7. 2 .y 2. t 5 E e e m h y 6 m l F.lo .m 8 Y 3 S A a 2 9 W 2 ...iff Y Q O A 9 11|: T m 1 N R U n a i-- o HO 1 r1.. 7 .l Q 3 F W Fi c. 9 N A /2 L U 5 N d 22 N e A n.. irl... L Qry 6 3 m0 lla-.. ra 3 u., O

F546 la w INVENToR Z/oyd. /F//l/n BY Fay ATTORNEY Much 21, lsza Y1,664,215

L. F. HUNT ANNUNCIATOR RELAY Filed April 21, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 F@ laMET/4W ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 27, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

LLOYD F. HUNT, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGI-IOUSEELEC'- 'IRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY,

A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

ANNUNCIATOR RELAY.

Application filed April 21, 1923.

My invention relates to relays and particularly to relays of theannunciator type.

One object of my invent-ion is' to provide an annunciator relay forstations such,y as automatic stations employing a plurality ofprotective devices that respond to various abnormal conditions in orderto preclude further automatic operation of the station.I that shallserve also to indicate to an attendant, upon inspection, Whichprotective device effected the shutting down of thestation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a relay, of theabove-indicated character, having a plurality of indicating semaphoresthat normally are hidden from view, but, upon the operation of apredetermined protective device, shallv be actuated to positions inWhich they shall be visible through the casing of the relay.

Another object of my invention is to provide a relay, of theabove-indicated character, having a casing embodying ati-ansparentportion adjacent to the indicating semaphores and a. resetting. memberextending through the casing whereby the semaphores may be reset intheir initial non-indicating positions without removing the casing ofthe relay.

With the present trend toward automatization of stations andsubstations, it is desirable and necessary. to provide protectivedevices for all of the different abnormal conditions that might occur inthe station. Under some conditions, it is desirable to stop theoperation of any unit which may bc operating when the abnormalconditions occur and to preclude further operation of that unit untilthe abnormal conditions are cleared.

At present, automatic stations or substations are periodically visitedand inspected to check the proper condition and operation of theapparatus in the station and also to clear such abnormal conditions asmay have arisen. Since there are several conditions Which may noty clearthemselves, but which are indicative of a persisting, fault in theapparatus, it is deemed advisable, upon the occurence of suchconditions, to stop thc,

operation of the apparatus and to preclude further operation until.these conditions are cleared. In order that thevisiting inspector maylreadily ascertain the. cause ofthe shutdown so that he mayreadily locateandv clear Serial No. 633,890.

the faulty condition, it is desirable to provide some means ofindicating which of the. several protective devices effected theautomatic stopping of the operation of the station.n

In practicing my invention, I provide an annunciator relay embodying anelectromagnetically-operated switch and a plurality of indicatingsemaphores that normally are hidden from view but are actuated, When therelay 1s energized, to an indicatingv position ,1n which they arevisible. A single resetting member extending through the casing of therelay permits the resetting of the switch and pf the -indicatingsemaphores with one operaion.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front elevational view ofthe relay embody.- ing my invention, with the cover removed.

Fig. 2 is a side view, partially in elevationr and partially in section,of the relay shown in Fig. 1, with the cover in. position to show thedisposition of the resetting device.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are,` respectively, plan, front and end views of abracket through which the indicating semaphores of the relay may beobserved when actuated to Aindicating position.

Figs. 6 and 7 are, respectively, front and end elevational views of thesupporting bracket for the resetting member for the indicatingsemaphores.

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are, respectively, front, plan and end views, inelevation,of the resetting member for the-semaphores.

Figs. 11 and 12 are front and end views, respectively, in elevation, ofone of the indicating semaphores.

Figs. 13 and 14 are, respectively, front and side elevational viewsofthe switch contact member of the relay.

Figs. 15 and 16 are front and side views of the resetting memberextending through the casing of therelay.

Fig. 17 is an end view of the interlocking. portion of the reset-tingmember of Fig. 14, which engages the switch controlling member that isillustrated in Fig. 14, and

Fig. 18 is al diagrammatic view of an electrical system shown insimplified detail to illustrate the co-operation of the annunciatorrelay with the various elements thereof.

The annunciator relay 1 embodies, in general, an electromagnet 2,A aswitch. 3 thatl is controlled thereby, indicating mechanism 4,

resett-ing mechanism comprising a resetting element for the switch and aresetting member 6 for the indicating mechanism 4.

The relay mechanism is normally enclosed in a casing comprising a base 7and a cover 8 that is provided with a transparent portion or glasswindow 9. A resetting meinber 10 is controlled by a handle 11 which isdisposed outside of the cover 8 to effect the simultaneous actuation ofthe switch resetting member 5 and the indicating resetting member 6. l

rlhe electromagnet 2 comprises a stationary core member 13 and a winding14 for energizing the same to att actan armature 15 against the tensionforce of a spring 16 which normally holds the armature member 15 awayfrom the core member 18 a predetermined distance, dependingupon thesetting of an adjustable stop member 17. rhe stop member 17 isadjustably secured to an er;- tended portion 18 of a bracket 19 that isdisposed upon, and actuated with, the armature member 15.

Normally, the bracket memberl 19 serves as a latch for aswitch-operating member 21 which is actuated upon the operation of theelectromagnet 2 by a spring 22 to move the switch 8 from the illustratedposit-ion in which its lower contacts are engaged to the operatedposition in which its upper Contact members are engaged.

The indicating mechanism 4 comprises, as'- is illustrated in Figs. 3, 4and 5, a plurality of electromagnets 24, 25, 26 and 27, each of which isprovided with a semaphore 28 that normally is hidden from view by acurtain bracket 29. r1`he bracket 29 is provided with four aperturesdisposed directly in front of the electromagnets. The indicatingsemaphores are adapted, when operated, to register with thecorresponding apertures in which position they are visible from outsideof the relay. Each semaphore 28 is provided with a tail portion 31 thatdepends, after the operation of the semaphore, into the path of theresetting member 6, whereby the indicating semaphores may be reset intheir respective initial positions.

rlhe resetting member 6 for the indicating semaphoi'es comprises a shaft82 that is provided with a depending pin 88, that serves an actuatingmember, and a plurality of laterally disposed pins 84 which are adaptedto engage the tail portions 81 of the indicating semaphores to reset thesame. The resetting mechanism 6 is also provided with a spring 35 whichis disposed on the shaft to 4return the shaft to its initial positionafter the resetting handle 11 is released by the operator.

The shaft is mounted in, and supported by, two bearings 36 and 37 of asupporting bracket 88, that is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. lWhen innormal position, the spring 85 messie is disposed between the left-endpin 34 and the bearing 36 and serves to maintain the shaft normally toits extreme left-hand position toward the left-hand side with thedepending pin 88 serving as a stop in co-operation with the bearingportion 37 of the bracket. Thus, when the depending pin 88 is actuatedto operate the rod to its righthand position to reset the semaphore, thespring 85 is placed in compression and, upon the release of theresetting member, immediately ac-tuates the rod 32 to its extreme alsoguided on that side and maintained in horizontal position to precludethe shaft from turning.

The construction of the switch 8 and its controlling member 21 may bemore readily understood by referring to Figs. 18 and 14. rfhe switchcomprises, in general, a resilient strip 40, of conducting material,which is secured to a shaft 41 of insulating material that is supportedby, and between two brackets 42 and 43.l The conducting member 40 isprovided with contact members 44 and 45 at each end thereof that areadapted to engage, and complete the circuit between, two sets ofresiliently mounted contact members 46 and 47 (see Fig. 2). The contactmembers 44 normally engage the springs 46 to complete the circuittherebetween and, when the relay is operated, the switch is actuated toits other position in which the contact members engage and complete thecircuit between the spring contact members 47.

The shaft 41, upon which the switch is mounted, has the operating member21 secured thereto to effect the actuation of the switch in a directiondepending upon the force impressed on the operating member 21. The shaft41 is also provided with a pin 48 'extending therethrough by means ofwhich the switch mechanism may be reset.

The resetting means for the relay, which is illustrated in Figs. 15, 16and 17, comprises a reset shaft 50 that extends through the cover 8, theresetting' handle 11 that is secured thereto on the outside of thecasing 8, a reset arm 52 that is secured to the reset shaft 50 and aspring 58 that is disposed between the reset. arm 52 and a stationarypin 54 to return the reset element to its initial position when thehandle 11 is released by the operator.

The inner end of the reset shaft 50 is drilled to lit over the end ofthe switch supporting shaft 41 and is slotted, as illustrated in Fig.17, to receive the operating pin 48 so that movement of the reset handle11 will operate the shaft 41 to permit the bracket 19 of theelectromagnet armature member to re-engage and latch the operatingmember 21 that is secured to the switch bearing shaft 41, as isillustrated in Fig. 1. The operation of latching member 21simultaneously tensions spring 22.

The reset arm 52 is secured to the resetshaft by being inserted througha hole drilled through the shaft and then clamped in position by amachine screw 55 against a flattened portion of the arm adapted toreceive the screw.

Upon reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the operating position of the reset arm52, relative to the operating pin 33 of the reset mechanism or theindicating semaphores, will be apparent. Thus, when the reset handle 11is moved by the operator at the sta-- tion, the switch and theindicating semaphores are all reset fory subsequent operation.

As illustrated in Fig. 1S, energy is supplied to a motor of amotor-generator unit 60. The current and temperature conditions Withinthe motor are measured by an overload relayl 61, and by a temperaturerelay 62 which is merely illust-rated here as indicative of anyprotective device which may be adjusted to operate at any predeterminedabnormal temperature condition in the machine. The motor-generator unitis provided with bearings 63, 64 and 65. Temperature-responsive devices66 are disposed therein to be responsive to the temperatures thereof andare adjusted to operate when a predetermined abnormal temperature isattained in the bearing indicating a. dangerous operating condition.

Upon the occurrence of any abnormal condition for which the respectiveprotective devices are provided, the associated switches will beoperated to energize the corresponding electromagnets ot the annunciatorrelay and also the main operating magnet, whereupon the indicatingsemaphore associated with the irst-mentioned electromagnet will beactuated to its visible position and the main electromagnet will beenergized to open the main switch of the relay.

Vhile I have shown a preferred form of relay embodying my invention, itwill be understood that various modifications may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, as setforth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A combined relay and indicator comprising a switch, a main operatingcoil therefor, a plurality of auxiliary indicator coils, an armature forthe main coil serving as a latch to maintain the switch normally in oneposition, a spring to move the switch to another position when thearmature is actuated by the main coil, indicator elements respectivelyassociated with the indicator coils, said elements being normally hiddenfrom View and being severally actuated to visible position when thecorresponding indicator coil is energized, and means for resetting thearmature, the switch controlled thereby and the operated indicatorelement.

2. A combined relay and indicator comprising a switch, an electromagnetincluding a coil for controlling the operation thereof, a plurality ofindicators, an operating coil `for each indicator, the coils beingseverally connected in series With the electromagnet coil to permitsimultaneous energization of both by external means provided therefor,and means for simultaneously resetting the switch and any of theindicators that may have been operated.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 10th dayof April 1923.

' LLoYD F. HUNT.

